victorian

victorian — adjective

1. covering the years 1837–1901, a period in British history when Victoria was the

1.形容詞B1
釋義

covering the years 1837–1901, a period in British history when Victoria was the ruling queen — including its buildings, paintings, novels, fashions, and daily life.

例句

The museum has a large collection of Victorian furniture and paintings.

collocation: Victorian + furniture / paintings

Many Victorian houses in London still have their original fireplaces.

collocation: Victorian houses

同義詞
  • nineteenth-century

    broader — covers the entire 1800s across all countries, not specifically Britain under Victoria

2. describing the set of socially conservative beliefs and behaviours that people c

2.形容詞B2
釋義

describing the set of socially conservative beliefs and behaviours that people connect with 19th-century Britain — for instance, the idea that sex, divorce, and strong emotions are improper topics to talk about in public.

例句

My grandmother has rather Victorian attitudes about what young people should wear.

collocation: Victorian attitudes

The school's Victorian rules banned any contact between boys and girls outside lessons.

同義詞
  • prudish

    more specific — focuses on being easily shocked by matters of sex and nudity, while Victorian can cover a wider range of moral strictness

  • stuffy

    more informal — suggests someone is dull, conventional, and overly proper

  • puritanical

    stronger — suggests very rigid religious rules against pleasure, often with a judgmental tone

反義詞
  • liberal

    open to new ideas and tolerant of different behaviours and lifestyles

  • permissive

    allowing a lot of freedom, especially in moral or sexual matters

用法筆記

This sense often carries a negative or critical tone, suggesting that someone is unreasonably strict about morals or refuses to accept modern, open attitudes toward relationships and personal life.

常見錯誤

❌My uncle has Victorian ideas about technology — he refuses to use a smartphone.
✅My uncle has Victorian ideas about relationships
💡he thinks couples should never divorce.' — Victorian describes strict moral/social attitudes, not general old-fashionedness or dislike of new technology.

3. connected with the Australian state of Victoria, including its government, its l

3.形容詞B1
釋義

connected with the Australian state of Victoria, including its government, its land, and its people.

例句

The Victorian coastline along the Great Ocean Road is absolutely stunning.

geographical reference: Victorian coastline

Saira moved to Melbourne to study at a Victorian university.

用法筆記

This sense refers specifically to the Australian state, not to the Canadian city of Victoria (British Columbia) or any other place named Victoria.

victorian — noun